Songs with the sus4-triad-sus2-triad Figure

REM - "Half A World Away" (I think... might be triad-sus4-triad-sus2 though?)

Patience - GnR

John Lennon - "Woman" (the intro) first example that pops into my head. And yes, this chord pattern does seem more rare in songs from the last 15 years or so, at least in pop-oriented stuff.

"Carnival of Sorts" on A in the chorus, but I think he's just playing the notes (4-3-2-1).

ditto -- in a much more pronounced way -- on the A turnaround between the chorus and verse of "don't go back to rockville."

"Money Changes Everything" has this, I believe. Also Beefheart's "Call On Me" and several songs by the Beau Brummels ("Sad Little Girl", "I Want You", "Don't Talk To Strangers", maybe more.)

The Beatles - "Anytime at All" (after the chorus)

"American Pie"

The Doors "Love Street" in a little turn before it modulates at 2:08.

The "hold on" section of the bridge in "Ballad of El Goodo" is written around this, including the vocal melody. Nice to run into our old friend in an essential, rather than embellishing, role.

Wire, "French Film Blurred"

Following the line, "On the day the vibrations will shake your bones".

opening day, that is

'VCR' by the XX does this around the C triad on all the verses.

Velvet Underground, "I'm Set Free".

Surprised The Beatles - "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" hasn't been mentioned.

Also I think Pearl Jam - "Down" qualifies.

sugar "if i can't change your mind" (on the C triad on intro and verses)

It comes up in Taylor Swift's "I'm Only Me When I'm With You" here, which has to be one of the most recent appearances in a popular song.

I'm surprised "Hide Your Love Away" didn't come up earlier too! "Love Street" and Sugar = good catches.

The "hold on" section of the bridge in "Ballad of El Goodo" is written around this, including the vocal melody. Nice to run into our old friend in an essential, rather than embellishing, role.

Wow, good one.

I haven't listened to the third VU album in a long time. I forgot about this one.

We missed "Shaking Through" in the R.E.M. accounting!

David Bowie - "Kooks" almost does this but just D to Dsus4

Bruce Springsteen - Brilliant Disguise

The Monkees - You Told Me

Blue Rodeo - "Hasn't Hit Me Yet"

^^ good song recommended for non-Canadians btw

Also, I don't know how we missed Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrjKwYVL21g

Surely Roxette would have loads of this

I looked throughout our list
and I don't know how we missed

AMANDA

lol

What about the fact no one mentioned "Free Bird" ("...and this bird you cannot change")

The Monkees - "Tapioca Tundra"

Gustavo Cerati / Soda Stereo did this a lot.

top of my head "luna roja" which is pretty much just an A chord throughout that goes to Asus4 to Asus2 and back... I might be wrong but that's what it looks like to me.

https://youtu.be/BosH13cX4qg

Does 'Money Money Money' by ABBA do this in the 'in my dreams I have a plan' bit?

Also there is an obvious 70s soul golden oldie that also does it on like an A minor chord, but I can't quite tease the song out of the jumble of intractable knots that constitute my brain.

Ah wait, the mists have finally parted - I'm thinking of the intro to the Four Tops' Reach Out I'll be There (which is obv not from the 70s duh). Is that doing this thing?

Gloria Gaynor’s version was tho!

Both of those examples are clever! In both, the top voice falls 4-3-2-1 in a minor key, instead of going 4-3-2-3 in a major key, which is the cliché version, but they both absolutely meet the criteria of the question.

instead of going 4-3-2-3 in a major key, which is the cliché version

Monkees song totally does this.

On piano, the end of John Cale's "Child's Christmas in Wales"

Good one

Was the tape of that track sped up slightly? It seems ≈ a quarter-tone off from standard tuning?

The early 90s positive vibes thread reminded me:
Michael Jackson - Black or White

Surely Roxette would have loads of this

― Duke, Saturday, October 26, 2019 3:23 PM (one year ago) bookmarkflaglink

Wichita Lineman fits here.

Where are you thinking? I hear a lot of sus4 chords resolving to triads but not sure I hear the whole figure?

I think it's the acoustic guitar on the D major after "...overload" and "...stand the strain"?

I'm still not hearing the sus2 there, I don't think. Just sus4 and triad, like this guy demonstrates around 0:35
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWk-kz0mKjg

"Tapioca Tundra', The Monkees, I think.

Ugh, mismatched quotes.

it gives the song title an open feel while also being a triad of marks. well done.